


A Temporary Change of Alignment (For The Greater Bad, Of Course)

by MayorOfCanTown



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, Assistant Tails AU, Canon Divergence, Gen, Illustrated, Mind Control, Tails-centric, sonic colors, sonic colours
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-01
Updated: 2018-10-15
Packaged: 2019-07-23 05:45:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16152824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MayorOfCanTown/pseuds/MayorOfCanTown
Summary: No matter what personal ethical problems you have with this, a win is a win, right?Thinking that to yourself is easy, but watching the hedgehog who - as much as you hate to admit - become a huge part of your inspiration, being led away as a complete zombie, is another story entirely.





	1. Stolen Thoughts, Switched Alignments, Donned Cloaks

**Author's Note:**

> OKAY SO SONIC COLOURS RIGHT  
> I've been thinking Way Too Much about @toxikku's Assistant Tails AU and I wanted to write a little thing in the context of Sonic Colours since Tails plays such a huge ass role, and I think there might be some real Interesting Content here
> 
> I'm just splurging cause I suddenly have the motivation and I'm excited
> 
>  
> 
> **HOLY FUCK NOW INCLUDING ART FROM THE AMAZING TOXIKKU THEMSELVES**

This isn't right.

This situation has just gone from bad to worse.

It was bad enough watching from the sidelines as he tried to communicate with the wisps - oh, darn, the wisps; let's not open that can of worms again - but Eggman said he was going to use the mind control beam on the wisps to make them more "easily persuaded." He didn't say he was going to use it on Sonic.

You think you actually called out when the purple lightning hit. The way he spasmed and writhed in what you can only assume is the absolute agony of having your conscience completely skipped by your nervous system, replaced by an external source.

You were not crying over this hedgehog.

On the surface, you should be happy. You should be ecstatic! You should be laughing just like your mentor is, that raspy, hearty laugh that you've come to know oh so well, but this victory is bittersweet. You don't laugh, you don't move, you don't turn away, you just sit and watch your screen in the dark room, and do what you do best: analyse.

Having seen enough of Eggman's blueprints, you know exactly how this device works. All its strengths and weakness. In fact, it was you who pointed out that he wasn't packing nearly as much of this non-descript energy that he refuses to tell you the source of. At its current capacity, it could run on one person for hours, maybe even days. You also understand the pseudoscience of why it works, and that it's a fairly finicky thing. The slightest metaphorical push from a loved one or someone you trust can completely override it, which is exactly why Eggman planned to take the whole planet at once - a perfect counter to the drawback. Admirable deduction, Doctor. Unfortunately, Sonic's various friends had seemingly not accompanied him, or at least, you couldn't find them on the screens anywhere.

Wait.

"Unfortunately?"

Did you just say "unfortunately" in your inner monologue?

This is a good thing... right?

No matter what personal ethical problems you have with this, a win is a win, right? Thinking that to yourself is easy, but watching the hedgehog who - as much as you hate to admit - become a huge part of your inspiration, being led away as a complete zombie, is another story entirely.

No. No. There's more to it than that. If it was just that, you would have had a problem with controlling the wisps. You would have had a problem with controlling the world! Heck, you would have had a problem with the time Eggman LITERALLY TORE THE PLANET APART. No. If you have a problem here, it has nothing to do with ethics. Whether you wanted them to be or not, whether for better or for worse, your ethics have been warped from the standard citizen.

You set your hands down on your keyboard, surfing through your various viewports, not exactly sure what you're looking for or hoping to find.

And then it hits you.

If Eggman controls Sonic, then no one can stop him! And if no one stops him, he'll control the whole world! And if he controls the whole world...

No more evil schemes. No more inventions. No more mentorship.

That's it. That's the reason this doesn't sit right with you. Of course. Could only possibly be this. No other reason. No sir. With another flick of your wrist, the screen shuts off and the room lights up. You tug gently at your shirt collar.

No other reason.

Spinning on the spot, you slide on your distinctive red jacket, and swipe open your door. "Orbot? I'm doing some recon. Had some worries about the cannon. I think Sonic knocked some wreckage in there. Don't interrupt me." He gives you a salute which you can't quite place as genuine or sarcastic - he always did like you at least a little more than Eggman, though frankly, that wasn't saying a whole lot. Cubot, on the other hand, gesticulated wildly and seemed very excitable about something or other: business as usual. Thankfully, you'd taken his vocal chip out for repairs.

All three of you relish in the brief moments of serenity that you get from him.

As soon as you're certain that you're completely out of sight, out of earshot, and away from any given camera, which you've committed to memory, you swerve and head to your storeroom. You know exactly what you're looking for.

Darn. You forgot what a mess you left this place in.

Ring bombs: no, you were saving those for a rainy day. Arm cannons: might be useful, but a bit overkill. No. You had to save the day... inconspicuously.

Just behind a box of aeroplane parts you've been meaning to use, you spot it: your cloak, from your Grim Reaper costume a couple of Hallowe'ens ago. Pulled just a little bit higher, it would hide your whole face.

Confession time: Cubot's chip doesn't need repairs. You're just sick of his voice at the minute. Well, that, and you had something else to make.

You clip the band around your neck and clear your throat.

"I'll stop you, Eggman," you mutter, with a completely different voice. Perfect.

Donning the cloak, you let it fall gracefully around you, now nothing but a black shadow. Perfect again. You blame Eggman for your flair for the dramatic.

You are not Miles, the assistant. You are not Miles, the sidekick. Today, you aren't even Tails, the genius.

Today, you're The Tornado. And it's about time someone saved the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> god i absolutely should be writing more of this but I feel like this is a good place to stop
> 
> im very very very strongly considering this being a multichap
> 
> anyway i hope you all enjoy!! leave a comment!!
> 
> (Also I retroactively apologise for this fic being garbage I am not doing this AU justice go check out @toxikku)
> 
> \- The Mayor :B


	2. Fluid Movement, Dynamic Reactions, Exhaustion Onset

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Step one is complete. Time for step two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im sorry for becoming Trash like. overnight
> 
> ALSO IF YOU ALREADY READ CHAPTER ONE CHECK IT AGAIN  
> AMAZING ART THAT HAS CAUSED MY DEATH

Step one is complete. You have a disguise. In fact, you think you have an excuse for going AWOL as well.

Kidnapping is a hero-y thing to do, right?

Stretching, you motion to fly up before stopping yourself. No, Tornado. Don't blow your cover. Scouring the room, you look through everything, for anything that you know neither Eggman nor Sonic has ever seen. That's the only way to avoid getting detected.

The Miles Electric? Could be useful, but probably more for reconnaissance than taking on an arch-enemy. Shrugging, you decide to tuck it in your belt anyway, suddenly having a spark of insight. It doesn't need to be something that they've never seen before.

Just something they don't know you have yet.

With a gleam in your eye, you tuck the offending items into your pocket, swiftly picking up your pace as quietly as possible to get fully out of Eggman's - or, your own, you guess - surveillance range. If you're going to rival Sonic and be a hero, it's not enough to be mysterious and help out. You're going to have to make an entrance. You guess the Miles Electric is going to come in handy after all; you can't very well shut down the lights in the standard way.

Less than a minute later, the whole space station is shrouded in darkness, save for you.

"Egghead!" The artificial voice boomed through every speaker you could tap into, which was all of them. "You think Sonic is the only hero who can stop you?" It takes a little longer than you had expected, but soon enough one of his trademark transmission screens unfolds and extends in front of you, bringing you face-to-hood with the Doctor himself.

"So you can turn off the lights. Big deal. Just who are you, anyway?" Typical.

"The name's Tornado. And I can do..." you put your hands in your pockets and pull out a gem in each hand, white and yellow. "... more than just kill the lights."

"WHAT?" His shout shook the screen, somehow. You guess that's as good a reaction as you could hope for. After all, if you knew your mentor at all, you knew he'd do anything to get his hands on Chaos Emeralds again.

"In fact," you stage-mutter, with uncharacteristic confidence. "I'm full of surprises."

Okay, Tails, focus. The theory is easy, but actually putting it into practice is hard. You do have just as much a connection to the Chaos Force as Sonic has; you proved that in the Metal Overlord incident. Maybe not as much as Shadow, but from the case files you managed to snag from Space Colony ARK before the whole explosion thing happened, that was a whole new case study you'd love to head up.

Shut up and focus! Clear your mind, stop rambling. Where do you want to be, Tails? Where do you want to be? Where do you want to be?

Who do you want to be?

"Chaos Control!"

  
The theory and the studying didn't prevent you from how disorienting the situation would be. You almost vomit as you feel time and space shift around you and contort into unnatural shapes before they realign, giving you just about enough time to compose yourself before everything started moving again.

God. You won't be doing that again in a hurry.

Your boss doesn't show any emotion other than shock, before also quickly shifting to a sly grin, and hitting a series of buttons on the desk he was just sat at. Hah, as if you don't know exactly what those do, and have the trajectories memorised by now. Dodging the grappling arms from the walls with probably a lot more effort than necessary, you clamber to your feet and take a deep breath. Eggman just watches you, part shock, part fear, part curiosity. "Listen. Let's just talk this out."

"And why would I want to talk anything out with you?" he retorts, hands already hovering over the keys.

"Why don't you check in with your assistant?" You try a half laugh, half scoff, and it comes out a lot higher than you intended. Thank god for the voice changer: with that, it sounded about halfway natural.

Under your attempt at a knowing gaze, the scientist rifles through his computer in a mild panic, shouting into his intercom. "Tails? Tails, where are you? Respond!" Predictably there's no response, but what comes next is not what you expected. Not at all.

"If you hurt him," he mutters, barely audible. "If you even touch one single hair on his head, I will destroy you. I will hunt you to the end of the universe, and I will end you. Do you understand?" His glare breaks your composure for a second, but you shake it off and take a step back.

"Release Sonic. Then we'll talk." You run out as fast as you can and put as much distance as you can between you and him before you let yourself collapse from the mental exhaustion. Probably physical as well, from that Chaos Control you just pulled.

You can use Chaos Powers now, apparently. That would be really interesting to study. By yourself, of course: you couldn't risk letting the boss see you do it now for a long time.

It's okay. It's temporary, and it's for the greater good.

Right?

This is okay. This is fine.

If you tell yourself enough times, you might believe it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you!! please comment, i need comments to pay my bills
> 
> \- the mayor :B


End file.
